Five “Don’ts” for your CV

(28 May 2012. By Lylah Alphonse on yahoo.com website)

Keep these five DON’Ts in mind, regardless of whether you’re submitting your resume on paper or electronically.

– Don’t use the same resume for every job application. It’s important that you tailor your resume to fit the job for which you’re applying. And if you’re applying to several jobs within in same large company, it’s essential. Different jobs require different skills, and even if you’re applying for the same exact job at several places, each company is still different, so it’s worth submitting a (slightly) different resume for each job.

– Don’t forget the cover letter. The cover letter is your chance to blow your own horn, tout your skills, and explain any puzzling parts of your resume. It’s also a great place to show that you’re already aware of how the industry – and the company – operates, and how you’d fit right in. It’s your chance to show the company exactly what you can do for them. Don’t forget to include one.

– Don’t just list your previous job titles and responsibilities. It’s important to show prospective employers how you sharpened your skills at previous jobs, and how those skills relate to the job you want. So list your past responsibilities, sure, but also list your achievements and the skills you honed along the way.

– Don’t forget to proofread. Proofreading means more than simply fixing spelling, punctuation, and grammar issues. Spellcheck can’t tell the difference between “sew” and “so” or “too,” “two,” and “to” — but an employer or recruiter sure can. And if you get the name of your contact person wrong, or address them as “Mr.” instead of “Ms.,” chances are that a recruiter will hit “delete” no matter how great a candidate you may be.

– Don’t embellish. If your resume makes the cut – and that’s the goal, right? – a good employer is going to fact-check. It’s easy to double check data online, and a quick phone call to a previous employer can bring truth to light pretty quickly. If you have a tricky situation that bears explaining, do it in the cover letter – or, better yet, in person.